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| Plot Summary of The Twentieth Wife |
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"The Twentieth Wife tells the story of India's controversial Empress, Mehrunissa, who later became known as Empress Nur Jahan of the Mughal Empire. She was the daughter of refugees fleeing Persia for India. She grew up in Emperor Akbar's palace grounds because of her father's position in the royal court. At the age of eight she sees Prince Salim and decides she will one day marry him.
Salim and Mehrunnisa fall in love over the years, but are unable to marry because of Mehrunnisa's bethrothal to a soldier. Despite time and distance their passion for one another does not die.
Intertwined with this love story are the accounts of the politics of the Mughal Empire, not only in relation to who will succeed Emperor Akbar, but also politics within the women's quarters. "
Jenna Evans, Resident Scholar
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" Well educated, once prosperous Ghias Beg finds himself fleeing from his native Persia to escape his creditors and the hostile new regime in the country he so loved. As things seem they could get no worse, another child is born into his family. With no way to feed the newborn, Ghias reluctantly places her on the roadside hoping someone will take her in. Fortunately tiny Mehrunnisa is discovered by Masud, a kind merchant, and taken to his home. Soon Masud discovers who the baby belongs to and reunites the family. Seeing the poor circumstances in which they are living, he befriends them and so begins the exciting life of Mehrunnisa Beg who will one day be known as Nur Jahan wife of Jahangir, ruler of the Mughal Imperial Family in India.
Mehrunnisa enjoys a comfortable childhood thanks to Masud's help and to being noticed by the mother of Jahangir. Mehrunnisa grows up visiting the harem of the Imperial palace in Lahore as a companion to the Emporess. She sees Jahangir for the first time when he marries another woman, but Mehrunnisa knows at this first sight of him that this is the man she will love forever; however, her father betroths her to another man. Mehrunnisa and Jahangir have one private meeting in the palace garden and share a kiss and although it breaks her heart Mehrunnisa tells Jahangir that she must keep her word to her father and marry Ali Quli.
The marriage is one that takes her to Bengal where her husband is serving in the Imperial army. Here she is very much alone and at the mercy of an abusive husband. Not able to conceive a child, she is often beaten by Ali for not producing an heir. The marriage continues for a number of years with Mehrunnisa longing for home and for Jahangir. Ali is reassigned to duty in Lahore and Mehrunnisa is back home where the glimpses of Jahangir only intensify her feelings for him.
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, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of The Twentieth Wife |
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Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Tone of book?
- thoughtful
Time/era of story
- 17th century
Life of a profession:
- prince/nobleman/king/queen
Inside culture (main char)
- Indian (Ghandi, not Sitting Bull)
Is this an adult or child's book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Outside culture (society)
- Indian (Ghandi, not Sitting Bull)
Job/Profession/Status story
Yes
Ethnic/regional/gender life
Yes
Main Character
Gender
- Female
Age:
- a teen
- 20's-30's
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events?
Yes
Ethnicity/Nationality
- Indian Indian
- Arab
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
- hard edged
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
- Genius
Main Adversary
Identity:
- none
- society
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a lot
- throughout most of the book.
Setting
How much descriptions of surroundings?
- 7 ()
Asia/Pacific
Yes
Asian country:
- India
Style
Person
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- explicit references to deaths
Amount of dialog
- roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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Click here for more information about this book
Indu Sundaresan Resident Scholar Profiles
TOP SCHOLAR:
 Jenna Evans
SCHOLARS:
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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